João Araújo, a professor in the Department of Mathematics at NOVA FCT, has been elected president of the 2nd Permanent Specialized Committee (Higher Education and Science) of the National Education Council (CNE). For the 2026-2030 term, he will also serve as secretary of the Education Committee of the European Mathematical Society (EMS).
The election for the presidency of the CNE's 2nd Permanent Specialized Committee took place during the plenary session on September 25th, which also marked the start of the mandate for the new president of the CNE, António Pedro Barbas Homem. The CNE comprises representatives from Parliament, the Government, the autonomous regions, municipalities, Portuguese communities, educational institutions at all levels, teachers, students, parents, trade unions and employers' organizations, academies, scientific and pedagogical societies, research units, and cultural, social, sports, and youth organizations.
The 2nd Permanent Specialized Committee focuses on issues related to Higher Education and Science, with the ability to conduct studies, organize colloquiums, make recommendations, and issue opinions at the request of Parliament or the Government. As president of this committee, João Araújo also becomes a member of the Coordinating Committee of the CNE, alongside the CNE president, the presidents of the other committees, and the secretary-general.
In parallel, João Araújo has been appointed secretary of the Education Committee of the European Mathematical Society for the 2026-2030 term. This committee is dedicated to issues concerning mathematical education, including teaching, learning, pedagogy, creativity, and the relationship between Mathematics and society, aiming to reflect on educational matters at European and international levels and foster cooperation networks.
A Full Professor at NOVA FCT since 2018, João Araújo's career is linked to symbolic artificial intelligence applied to Mathematics. He was the lead candidate for the Scientific Council (2020-2024) and elected to the Coordinating Council for Evaluation (2022/24). As president of the Portuguese Mathematical Society (2020/22), he publicly addressed educational challenges, earning recognition as one of the personalities of the year in 2021 by the newspaper SOL.
